


Demons Among RPers

by NappingStabbingBlooking



Series: Demon AU [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF, Sideshow - Fandom
Genre: Blood, Demons, Friendship, Lost in the Woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-15 01:46:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16052900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NappingStabbingBlooking/pseuds/NappingStabbingBlooking
Summary: Criken and his friends find themselves lost in the woods and happen across a note written in blood that says, “There are demons among you.”Inspired by pretty much every traitor type game the boys have played, in which some of them are monsters but no one knows who is who until it’s too late.





	Demons Among RPers

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So, I wanted to try my hand at writing these boys. I was inspired by pacificrey after they told me we’re the ones that gotta make the content, so here it is! The content! 
> 
> This is meant to be just a little one-off story. It’s kind of a horror fic, but it has a happy ending and it isn’t extremely gorey, so I don’t think any TW apply. And just to clarify, the boys all just have platonic friendships. :) 
> 
> Alright, i’ve spoiled enough. Enjoy!

“Okay, whose brilliant idea was it to come out into the fucking forest?” Tomato griped as he stomped through the dense thicket ahead of Criken, swatting at the occasional mosquito that attempted to land on him. Walking a few paces after Tomato was Shayne, who cringed back ever so slightly at the accusation subtly thrown his way. 

 

Criken flattened his hair with his hand, frustration building up in him beyond belief. What was supposed to be a lovely day at the forest park (suggested by none other than wholesome, pure boy Shayne) had turned into a bit of a disaster. 

 

Behind him a couple feet back, he could hear Buck and Lawlman arguing about their predicament— if they should eat their remaining food now or if they should save it for later, if they should turn back or keep going— and then there was Dave, desperately trying to intervene and settle the quarrel. 

 

“It doesn’t matter whose idea it was, we all thought it would be good for us to go outside and get some fresh air. Now we need to focus on getting out of here.” Bed looked at Tomato with a pointed stare that delivered no room for disagreement, then turned to give Shayne a radiant smile.  

 

_ Thank god for Bed _ , Criken thought. Ever the optimist, Bed was often the one in their group to see the positive side to any given situation.

 

“Bed’s right,” He affirmed with a single head nod. “Tomato, come here a second and help me with the map.” 

 

“‘Tomato, come help me with the map,’” Tomato mimicked him in an emphasized voice, but glued himself to Criken’s side nonetheless, taking one of the edges to examine it. 

 

Criken held up his hand, gesturing for everyone to stop. His friends took the cue, grouping up and using the moment to take a quick swig out of their water bottles. Buck even took the opportunity to plop on the ground, splaying out uncaringly while Lawlman poked fun at him for sitting in the dirt. 

 

After some deliberation, the group came to a surprisingly unanimous agreement: keep going in hopes they were close to the end of the path. 

 

According to the map, the trail they were on was supposed to loop back to where they started. It would take much longer for them to turn back than it would for them to continue forward. 

 

Criken just hoped that they had read it correctly. He even double checked with Shayne, but his friend looked every bit as lost as he felt while they tried to work out the compass alongside the map. There really wasn’t much they could do other than move on. 

 

With a communal groan, they pulled themselves together, packed up their things and continued on with their hike. 

 

\---

 

It was late. 

 

_ Too late _ , Criken thought as he stared worriedly into the darkening sky. 

 

They should have been back at the trailhead by now, but to Criken it seemed like all they had done was dig themselves deeper into the wilderness. The sun was well on its way to setting, and all the boys were almost completely worn out. They were pretty much out of food at this point, and down to their last drops of water. 

 

Just as Criken was about to voice his spiraling concerns and address the real issues they had at stake, there was a whoop of excitement from up ahead. Buck, who had been practically been dragging his feet seconds before, regained his energy in record time as he jumped and shouted.

 

“I see a road!” 

 

Everyone perked up, raising  their heads and picking up the pace after Buck. He led them all out of the forest, the overgrown path finally ending and spilling them onto a gravel road. 

 

“Look, cabins!” Dave pointed out, and through the dense layer of trees they were able to pick out a couple of scattered log cabins, sitting just off the main gravel road. 

 

This wasn’t the trailhead, that was for sure. Criken hadn’t seen anything on the map that looked even remotely like this place. But, at least they had come across some form of civilization.

 

“Anyone’s phone work?” Criken asked, staring at the ‘no service’ symbol his phone. Lawlman pulled his phone out of his pocket, only to shake his head, lips pursed in annoyance. With a quick check, everyone else mumbled their negatives. 

 

“That’s okay, we can go see if anyone in these cabins has a working phone. We can call Zyke or someone else to come pick us up.”  

 

They approached the first cabin on the right, their footsteps crunching loudly on the rocky path. It had an old red truck parked in the driveway, suggesting that someone may be home, but all the lights were out. 

 

Criken knocked on the door softly, feeling slightly bad at interrupting the homeowner’s quiet evening. He did not expecting the door to easily swing open under his gentle administrations. 

 

“Oh—“

 

He looked behind him at his friends in astonishment. Bed immediately abandoned the porch to go stand in the driveway, clearly displeased at Criken’s accidental B&E. Shayne and Dave looked equally horrified. Buck was waving his arms around wildly with interpretive gestures and Lawlman just laughed. Criken hid a smile behind his hand, trying to conceal his amusement at their varying reactions. Undaunted, Tomato pushed his way up next to Criken and nudged the door open further. 

  
“Hello?” Tomato called out into the cabin, and everyone collectively waited in anticipation for something to happen. 

 

There was no response. 

 

Criken took the opportunity to poke his head in the house, taken aback at the lack of furniture. In fact, there wasn’t really  _ any  _ furniture. There was nothing. Just an empty living room, a sparse kitchen, and a hallway that presumably led to a couple bedrooms and a bathroom. 

 

“It must be some sort of summer camp cabin,” Criken said softly, gaining a bit of courage to breach the doorway with his foot and step inside, much to the dismay of almost everyone outside. 

 

“Criken, that’s someone’s place! Come back!!” Shayne waved his arms, joining Buck with a rather silly interpretive dance. Criken paused in the doorway. 

 

“Look guys, I don’t know how to say this, but I don’t think we’re gonna make it back to our cars until tomorrow morning. Do you guys really want to walk eight miles at night? With bears? And bugs?” 

 

“Say no more,” Tomato said as he graced the house, setting his backpack down and heading deeper into the establishment to confirm it was indeed just an empty camp cabin. 

 

Buck rushed into the house soon after him. 

 

“I just saw a fucking _big_ spider, Criken— Shut up, Bed, it _was_ _big!!_ I ain’t messing with that shit,” he yelled behind him, heading straight to the kitchen area to refill his water bottle at the faucet.  

 

Lawlman came in next, finding the bathroom with haste and shutting himself inside. 

 

Dave and Shayne followed hesitantly, apprehensive of the whole ‘breaking into someone else’s property’ thing. 

 

Bed was the last to enter, waiting for Tomato to do a full sweep of the house before he begrudgingly came inside. 

 

“So what, we’re just staying here for the night? Like a bed and breakfast, but without either of those things or permission to enter?” Dave looked around at his friends questionably. 

 

“Yup,” Tomato confirmed, seemingly unperturbed by the situation. 

 

“Plus, this place  _ does _ have a bed! It’s only a twin though. Gonna be a tight fit, but I think we can all squeeze in,” Shayne joked, elbowing Dave light-heartedly. Dave wrung his hands, still looking rather troubled. 

 

“Maybe we can leave some money behind? Like, ‘Sorry we stayed in your cabin, here’s some cash’?” Buck suggested. 

 

“What, and leave traces of our DNA to find when the owners of this place find out people broke in here and call the cops?” Lawlman joined in the conversation as he exited the bathroom, wiping his wet hands on the front of his jeans. 

 

“As if you didn’t just leave all the DNA in the world behind in that poor toilet,” Bed quipped, drawing a laugh out everyone. 

 

“Okay, okay, settle down guys,” Criken blew out a sigh. “Dave has a point though. I’m going to run down the road really quick to see if there’s anyone home in the other cabins. Anyone want to come with?” 

 

No one moved. 

 

Criken’s jaw dropped in mock hurt, placing his hands on his hips. 

 

“Alright,  _ I _ see how it is!” 

 

Tomato and Bed snickered, and Buck avoided any eye contact, looking like a kid trying not to get called on by their teacher in class. Dave frowned and Lawlman shrugged. 

 

“I’ll come,” Shayne volunteered.

 

“Thank you!” Criken threw his hands in the air in exasperation. 

 

\---

 

It was night by the time Criken and Shayne got back to their respective cabin, almost having trouble finding it in the dark. After knocking on all the doors and receiving no answer, he was almost positive the little lodges were only used for summer retreat camps. With the season now entering early fall, they would be left completely abandoned until winter festivities, or even next summer. 

 

Their friends greeted them as they came through the door, and Criken was met with a rather homey sight. Tomato was hanging out in the kitchen, sat at a tiny table and shuffling a deck of cards. Buck was on the ground in the living room, happily slurping down a can of peaches and sharing with Dave. Lawlman also was in the living room, laying down and using his backpack as a pillow. Criken joined Tomato in the other seat at the table as Shayne headed for Buck and Dave, demanding peaches. 

 

A single metal industrial flashlight was stood up on its end in the middle of the cabin, giving them ample light, and Criken looked at Tomato with a raised eyebrow. 

 

“Power’s out,” Tomato explained. “It’s the best we could do. Now are we gonna play Texas Hold’em or what?” 

 

Suddenly, there was a muffled shout from Bed. 

 

“Guys! Guys, come check this out!” 

 

_ Why did that sound like it came from under the floorboards? _

 

Criken’s chair scraped as he stood, Tomato rising to his feet alongside him, muttering about something or other. Buck was a bit slower to get up, passing the can of fruit to Dave and stretched his back. In turn, Dave set the can on the ground, crawling forward to grab the flashlight. Shayne nabbed the unguarded peaches, popping one in his mouth with a happy tune. 

 

“Tamto, where is he?” 

 

“In the cellar, I think.” 

 

Everyone was on their feet by that point, following the red haired man as he pulled open the door adjacent to the bedroom and revealed a decrepit wooden staircase that lead to the dusty basement. There was a faint ominous glow coming from Bed’s pocket flashlight, and if it weren’t for that hint of light, it would have been pitch black. 

 

“Wow, it looks fun down there,” Dave piped up from behind them, the sarcasm practically dripping from his lips. 

 

“Yes, very inviting,” Lawlman agreed, crossing his arms. 

 

“Oh  _ hell _ no,” Buck shook his head, laughing. “Tomato, you go first.” 

 

Tomato shrugged and headed into the dark fearlessly. Criken picked his way down a bit more hesitantly, not completely trusting the safety of the old rickety stairs, closely followed by Shayne, Lawlman, Buck, and Dave, who pointed his flashlight in Bed’s direction. 

 

They easily filled the compact space of the basement and crowded around Bed, who was staring at an old, worn looking piece of paper in his hands. 

 

“Found this note in the middle of the room. Did you come down here already, Tomato? Did you see this?” Bed questioned, but was interrupted by the end of his sentence as everyone started talking at once.

 

“What’s it say?” Lawlman leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of what was written on the paper. 

 

Bed wordlessly passed it to him, and Lawlman’s deep voice echoed off the damp walls of the basement as his eyes travelled over the words that were painted in harsh brown streaks. 

 

“There are demons among you.” 

 

Criken drew in a small intake of breath as a blanket of stillness settled over the group. His heart rate picked up in his chest at the same time Buck shifted uncomfortably. He could see Dave’s eyes dart to the stairs, illuminated by his flashlight. 

 

“Creepy.” Shayne broke the silence and held out his hand for the note. Lawlman gave it to him. 

 

“It kinda looks like it was written in blood,” Shayne pinched the corner of the paper between his fingers, holding it far away from him and urging someone else to take it from him. 

 

“Who would leave a single piece of gross bloody paper down here?” Dave inquired. 

 

“Kids bored at camp pulling a prank.” Tomato answered, looking bored himself. 

 

“Careful with that Shayne, it might give you AIDS.” Bed let out a string of giggles as Shayne desperately thrust the paper towards his friends. 

 

Criken shook his head. Something still didn’t feel quite right, and he knew for a fact the others felt that way too, despite the jokes.

 

Buck reached for the note, uncharacteristically quiet for once as he took it between both his hands, eyes wandering over the paper. 

 

Then,

 

“Oh _ ,  _ that explains  _ this. _ ” 

 

“...explains what, buddy?” Criken asked, a bit unsettled by Buck’s tone. He couldn’t see him quite clearly in the dark, and Dave must’ve thought the same, shining his light in Buck’s direction. 

 

For a moment, Criken was relieved. Buck was just standing there, looking normal as ever with a slight smile on his face. 

 

“This.” 

 

Without warning, Buck’s body shuddered in a disturbing manner, an ear splitting shriek erupting from his form.

 

Now, everyone had heard Buck scream before. He could force a surprising amount of noise out of him. Loud was a very defining feature of him. But Criken was sure he had never heard him as intense and piercing as this.  

 

They all flinched away from him, and he clamped his hands over his ears as Buck’s voice warped into sounds he knew a human was utterly incapable of making. 

 

Everyone stood rigidly in absolute shock as Buck violently lurched, horns erupting from his mess of hair and curled similar to that of a goat. 

 

Bed yelled something that sounded vaguely like ‘run’ and he sprinted for the exit, everyone clamoring after him up the wooden stairs. Their flashlights swung in their hands and created a terrifying strobe effect around the basement. Criken was only able to catch a small glance of Buck still in the middle of the basement as the light passed over him. 

 

He was hunched over, but Criken could see that he had grown long, sharp claws that tore his clothing to shreds with a mere pass of his hand. He had the haunches and legs of a goat, sprouting a tail and hooves. Twitching, floppy ears poked out from either side of his head. His teeth grew and sharpened as he gnashed them, and the last thing Criken saw was his golden eyes and his pupils, now rectangular. 

Tomato shoved Criken up the last couple of stairs and yanked the last person out of the basement, which happened to be Dave, holding his flashlight to his chest with both of his hands in fright. They slammed the door shut, which held for all of two seconds before Buck— or whatever the fuck that thing was— rammed through and broke the door off its hinges, knocking the three of them to the ground in the narrow hallway. 

 

Dave’s flashlight went spinning and Criken covered his head with his arms to protect himself as he was sent to the floor, part of the door from the basement falling on top of him. Disoriented, he scrambled blindly to get away from the chaos. 

 

Everyone was shouting, but one scream in particular sounded over the rest. It sounded pained, graphic, and  _ real _ . 

 

Criken scrambled on all fours for the flashlight that had bounced across the floor, gripping it with shaky hands as he waved it around the cabin. 

 

The beam passed over some of his friends—Tomato, still on the ground with blood dripping down his forehead, Lawlman, wrestling through his backpack and revealing a knife, Shayne, gripping the broom in the kitchen with a threatening posture— and the light finally came to land on Buck, holding Dave in the air by his claws. They punctured his left shoulder and drew rivlets blood, running down both of their bodies. Dave grasped at Buck’s hand desperately, crying out hoarsely as his attacker slashed his exposed stomach with his other hand, leaving four shallow weeping stripes across his belly. 

 

Criken could only do the first thing he thought of. He chucked the heavy flashlight across the room, hitting Buck square in the side of the head. He snarled and turned Criken’s way, still holding Dave who squirmed painfully in his grip. 

 

In the low light of the cabin, Criken saw Bed appear out of nowhere, lifting one of the kitchen chairs above his head and bringing it down on Buck hard enough to fracture the chair into pieces. Shayne smacked him with the broom, and by then Lawlman and Tomato were on their feet and charging him. 

 

Buck howled at the onslaught, eyes narrowing as everyone rapidly closed in on him. Lawlman swung at Buck with the knife, but Buck was faster, sending him flying across the cabin with only one arm. 

 

“Lawlman!” Criken was at his friend’s side in a second, holding him steady while he recovered on the ground, already attempting to get back up. 

 

Growling and snarling like an animal, Buck charged for the front door, smashing through his second door and dragging a bloody, screaming Dave with him into the night. 

 

\---

 

“Dave! We have to go after him!” Lawlman shouted, stumbling as he picked himself up and ran towards the exit, but Tomato grabbed his wrist before he could leave. 

 

“We can’t! Did you fucking  _ see _ that thing??” Lawlman ripped his wrist out of Tomato’s grip angrily, and Tomato roughly wiped away the blood that was dripping down his eyebrow with the back of his hand. Lawlman stormed towards the sad excuse for a door, but his words must’ve got to him as he stopped short at the entrance, staring out into the forest. 

 

“It was Buck,” Shayne whimpered, a hush settling over his friends as he let his broom clatter to the floor, horror etched onto his face. 

 

Bed retrieved the flashlight—  _ Dave’s  _ flashlight— that Criken had thrown during the fight. He then slung a reassuring arm around Shayne, his eyes meeting Criken’s anxiously. 

 

He could practically hear him saying it. 

 

_ What do we do now, Criken?  _

“We need to get help,” Criken croaked, looking around the ruined cabin, still somewhat reeling in shock, the adrenaline coursing through his body starting to dial down. 

 

Shayne’s words bounced in his head again. 

 

It was Buck. 

 

_ Was.  _

 

Criken swallowed down both his fear and despair, joining the rest of his friends in a small circle, all of them surging with different emotions. Shayne’s eyes were focused on the ground, tears brimming in his eyes, no doubt blaming himself for this whole thing. Lawlman was still ready to fight, standing in a defensive posture, his eyes head swinging around at every slight sound. Tomato was downright livid, fists clenched, and Bed still looked to Criken, an odd mixture of helplessness and determination written on his pale face. 

 

“We need to see if there’s anything in any of the other cabins that can help. We never found a phone or radio in here, did we? Then we need to find the quickest way out of here.” Criken planned out, standing up straight. He had to be strong for his boys if they were going to make it out of this place. 

 

“What about Dave? And Buck?” Shayne murmured softly.

 

“We get help for them. Both of them. But first, we need to focus on making sure we get out of here safely.” 

 

“How?” Lawlman stuffed his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders. “We hiked in. I think we can assume hiking out isn’t really an option with  _ him  _ out there.” 

 

“The truck,” Bed said suddenly, lighting up like he does when he gets an idea. “Maybe there’s a set of keys around here.”

 

_ The truck. Why didn’t I think of the truck? _

 

“Okay. Bed and Shayne, you guys stay here and turn this place upside down for those keys. Tomato, Lawlman, you’re with me. We’ll go search the other cabins for—” 

 

“Woah, woah, woah, you want us to split up? Bad idea, Criken,” Tomato interjected, rapidly shaking his head.

 

Criken’s patience was wearing thin, and he had to remind himself to speak evenly with his friend and not snap at him.  

 

“Why not, Tomato?”

 

“As I remember, the note clearly read, ‘there are demons among you’. As in  _ plural _ .”

 

The words slowly dawned on their group, and it didn’t go unnoticed as Bed retracted his arm from Shayne, followed by a series of uneasy glances around their circle. 

 

“You gotta be kidding me if you think we should split up. I, for one, don’t want to find myself alone with a monster.” 

 

“You won’t be, idiot. You’re in the group of three,” Lawlman retorted, and Tomato bristled at the comment, opening his mouth to defend himself. 

 

“Enough!” Criken yelled, startling everyone. He immediately shrunk back, rubbing the back of his neck apologetically. 

 

“Look, it’s a risk we’re going to have to take. We don’t know which of us is—” Criken cut himself off, rubbing his eyes behind his glasses before starting his sentence again. 

 

“We don’t know for sure if there’s more than one… demon. Monster, or whatever. But the longer we wait, the longer it takes for us to leave.”

 

Tomato didn’t look happy about it, but thankfully he didn’t argue any further, and neither did anyone else. 

 

Bed handed Dave’s flashlight to Criken, sharing one last nervous glance with him before they split up, Criken leading the way out the front door and into the cooling night, Lawlman and Tomato tensely falling into step behind him. 

 

\---

 

Searching the other cabins proved to be a bit of a bust. All proved to be just as empty as the first one. No people, scare furniture, and zero phones. 

 

It reminded him of a ghost town. 

 

But they couldn’t give up yet. There had to be something helpful among the rubbish. 

 

Criken ripped open the bedside drawer of the cabin he was currently ransacking and dumped the contents on the ground in a fleeting rush of anger, watching the useless items fall to the floor. He was about to turn away when something caught his eye. In the middle of the mess was a simple rosary, glimmering among empty plastic bottles and a box of tissues. 

 

He paused for a moment, his eyes traveling over the black beads and scrappy wooden cross. Criken grabbed the trinket and stuffed it deep in the pocket of his jeans without so much of a second thought, leaving the room a wreck and exiting the cabin.

 

Lawlman was waiting outside on the porch for him, absolutely slandered. 

 

“Jeez Criken, you couldn’t have made more noise if you tried.” 

 

“Sorry,” He said shortly, raising his eyes to scan the tree line, coming to rest on the cabin Tomato was inside of. 

 

_ Speak of the devil.  _

 

The red man himself appeared in the doorway, jogging over to them and joining their circle empty-handed. 

 

“So, now what?” 

 

Tomato barely got the words out before a distant scream cut through the night. 

 

“ _ Fuck,” _ Criken swore and took off running back down the road to their cabin, Tomato and Lawlman just behind him.

 

“Was that Dave?” Lawlman got out between pants as they ran. 

 

“I don’t know. It sounded more like Shayne to me,” Criken’s stomach clenched as they jumped up the porch stairs and into the cabin, but after a quick search there was no sign of their boys. 

 

Another scream sounded, this time leading them beyond the cabin and a little ways into the forest, peeling them away from the safety of the gravel road.

 

Criken held his arms in front of his face to protect him from low hanging branches as he crashed through the undergrowth, desperately looking for his friends. 

 

“Where—” 

 

Skidding to a stop, Criken stared emptily into the woods as his chest heaved from exertion. His shoulders slumped, an overpowering feeling of hopelessness piling up inside of him. He was losing his friends left and right to fucking  _ monsters _ . 

 

“There!” Tomato yelled as he and Lawlman caught up to Criken, pointing somewhere into the forest ahead of them.

 

Sure enough, when Criken squinted, he was able to spot it: the faint glow of light through the trees. Hope sang through his being as he stumbled forward, racing towards the small spark of promise. 

 

They nearly ran into Bed as they hurtled out of the brush and into a small clearing. He stood shaking like a leaf as he whipped around to face his friends, a bright red spray of blood splattered across his face. He had dropped his flashlight in his fright, but upon recognizing his friends he quickly threw his arms around the nearest person for solace.

 

Tomato returned the hug and gave him a few comforting pats, but Lawlman kept his distance, pacing the clearing and looking around. 

 

“Where’s Shayne? What happened, Bed?”

 

Lawlman’s tone came out accusatory, and realization hit Criken full on as he took a timid step back. Tomato grew very still in Bed’s embrace, carefully removing his arms from him. 

 

Bed was the last to get it, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion when Tomato pulled away from him. Then, understanding lit up in him like a fire, and his eyes shone with some complex emotion Criken wasn’t even going to begin to try and decipher.

 

“I didn’t do anything to him! He— We were out here, and, and he started running. I tried to chase him, but I lost him—“ 

 

“What were you two doing out here??” Lawlman threw his hands in the air, aggravated by Bed’s stuttered explanation. 

 

“We heard  _ Dave _ !” Bed stressed, and just like that, a hurt look washed over Lawlman’s face, wounded at the mention of his dear friend. 

 

“Did you? Or did you just  _ think  _ you heard him? Tomato kicked at the ground with his foot, looking away.   

 

“Bed, I’m sorry, you have to see, it just… It looks bad, buddy.” Criken said slowly and calmly as he held eye contact with Bed. The look on his face said it all. 

 

Disbelief. Betrayal. Despair.  

 

“Do I _ look  _ like a monster to you?”

 

“For fucks sake, you’re covered in blood!” Lawlman fired back. 

 

Bed wiped his hand down his face quickly, staring down at his bloody palm with round eyes. Those eyes flicked back to him. Criken silently willed his friend to listen to him. He had no evidence to prove himself innocent, he was all alone out here with Shayne nowhere to be found, and he was absolutely  _ drenched _ in blood… He had to understand.

 

And he did understand. He was smart. Sometimes even too smart for this own good. Bed closed his eyes and turned his face away from Criken, shoulders sagging.

 

“Guys, I get it. There’s still the possibility that one of us could be a monster. There’s nothing I can say that can convince you otherwise, so… that’s it, I guess.” His voice wavered at the end, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. 

 

Criken felt gutted, his heart sinking in misery. Even after practically getting accused of being a murderer by his closest friends, he was still the good hearted Bedbanana everyone had come to love.

 

Criken looked to Tomato for some sort of support, guilt tickling his ribs and scratching at his heart. He didn’t want to do this, but he had to to protect the rest of them. He didn’t believe for a second that Bed had hurt anyone, let alone his own friend, but this was the safest play he could make. 

 

“Bed,” Criken protested, struggling to find the right words,  “I don’t think it’s you— I really don’t  _ want  _ it to be you, but—“ 

 

“ _ I get it, _ ” Bed sniffed, cutting him off and putting the conversation to an end. 

 

Excessive silence ensued. Nothing was audible except for the sound of the trees creaking with effort as the wind picked up, as well as the occasional titter of some nocturnal creature.

 

“Well, we better get a move on.” Tomato split from the group first, leading the way back to the cabin with a single somber glance behind him. 

 

Bed went next after Lawlman refused to budge, training an eye on him for a moment before following cautiously, and Criken brought up the rear. 

 

\---

 

They made it back to the cabin after searching the forest for Shayne as far as they dared. There was absolutely no sign of him. 

 

Part of Criken wanted to believe that maybe he was on the eight mile trek back to their cars, and not just completely lost in the woods. Part of Criken knew that there was no way he would make it to safety either way. 

 

Not with Buck somewhere out there. 

 

It was colder now, and he shivered as a particularly strong wind cut through the cabin’s broken door, seeping through his jacket and then his skin, freezing over his bones. 

 

There was an awkward pause as they gathered in the cabin, everyone keeping their distance from each other. Bed made a beeline for the bathroom, snatching a hand towel, wetting it, and doing the best he could to wipe the blood from his face and arms. By the time he had finished, the once white towel was ruined with garish streaks of pink, and Criken could see the tremor in his hands. 

 

He shut off the faucet as he finished running his hands under the water, stopping short after he exited the bathroom. Everyone stared tensely at Bed with the exception of Tomato, who was faced the other way fiddling with something in his hands. 

 

“Bed, I hate to do this, but…” Tomato turned around, revealing a short stretch of rope. 

 

“Where the hell did you get that?” Criken said at the same time Bed said, scandalized,

 

“You’re joking, right?”

 

He crossed his arms adamantly and huffed in annoyance when Tomato’s expression didn’t change. However, despite the horrible situation, Bed glanced sideways at his friend, a tiny boyish smirk adorning his face. 

 

“You just want to see what I look like tied up, don’t you Tamto?” 

 

“Shut up and hold out your wrists.” Tomato deadpanned, his face turning a shade redder. 

 

“Tomato…” Criken began, but he hushed him before he could say anymore. 

 

“It’s just a safety precaution. For all of us.” 

 

Criken didn’t intervene again. 

 

Tomato resumed his approach with the rope. Clearly displeased but not looking to start another argument, Bed did as he asked, holding out his wrists and allowing them to be bound. He only winced a little when Tomato tightened the knot, giving it a few tugs for good measure. Tomato then guided him to the bedroom, pushing him in gently and closing the door behind him.

 

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay in there until we get this shit figured out, okay Bed?” Tomato called through the door. 

 

“Yeah,” came a muffled acknowledgement from the other side. “Just don’t forget—”

 

That was when Lawlman came out of the kitchen carrying the kitchen chair that hadn’t been smashed yet, lodging it under the doorknob firmly. 

 

“Woah! Is that really necessary?” Criken exclaimed. Bed’s voice was drowned out under the commotion. The knob jiggled as he attempted to open the door, but the chair kept him locked up inside. 

 

“Guys!” Bed’s voice rose in urgency, but he was abandoned as Lawlman pressured him and Tomato into the other room. 

 

“Yeah, it was actually.” Lawlman whispered sharply as soon as they entered the living room, holding up his right hand. From his fingers dangled a set of keys. 

 

“The car keys! Where’d you find them??” Criken exclaimed, relief crashing over him like a tsunami, forgetting about whatever it was Bed had been trying to tell them. 

 

“I saw them on the kitchen counter, just sitting there in plain sight. I mean, what the hell?” 

 

“They must’ve found them after all.” Tomato raked a hand through his hair with uncertainty.

 

“Yeah, and Bed didn’t tell us because he’s the other demon!”  

 

“Lawlman… We don’t even know if there  _ is  _ another monster. It could just be Buck.” 

 

To Criken, it was simple. Get everyone in the car and leave. Bed hadn’t attacked them yet, and while he was definitely suspicious, he hadn’t done anything. It was absurd to Criken to just leave him out here alone, especially with Buck wandering around. 

 

“Bullshit! You’d be fucking stupid to think that. Shayne found the keys, and Bed doesn’t want us to leave so he lured him out into the forest and killed him!” 

 

“You don’t know that,” Criken insisted hotly, and Tomato backed him up in a heartbeat. 

 

“Yeah, that’s a really strong accusation. Also, if that were true, why would he just leave the keys on the counter in plain sight? Wouldn’t he want to hide them?” 

 

“You just tied him up!” Lawlman exhaled harshly and punched the wall in a fit of frustration. Criken and Tomato exchanged bewildered glances. He fisted the keys in his hand and stalked outside, apparently done with the conversation. 

 

“That was more for theatrics!” Tomato hollered out the door, and Lawlman paused, looking back inside for a moment.

 

“Whatever. You guys are just defending him because of how close you three are. We need to go  _ now,  _ before  _ he  _ or one of us turns into the fucking Babadook.” 

 

He left Tomato and Criken in a stunned silence. Lawlman’s words tripped him with a hot flash of guilt, leaving him uncertain. Were they really favoring Bed because they were close friends? Was he putting them all in danger because of his inability to separate what he wanted and what he needed to do? 

 

Criken closed his eyes and thought about all of his friends. Buck, and the way he would occasionally snort while he laughed. Dave with his incredible bits, guaranteed to make him cry. His sweet boy Shayne, who just wanted to have a good time out with his best buddies. Bed, equal parts chaotic and caring. Lawlman, usually the most easy going and chill to hang back with. And beside him, his partner all the way through the very end, Tomato.

 

Tomato pushed his glasses up his nose, and in a quiet voice he said, “I’m going after him. Give me a second, I’ll try to hash things out.” 

 

“What about Bed? We can’t just leave him here, can we?” Criken pleaded half-heartedly. “He hasn’t technically done anything.” 

 

“I know.” Tomato held his gaze, shrugging uncomfortably. “But it looks like we might have to, the same way we’re leaving Dave, Shayne— Buck, even. We can’t risk it. We need to go and get help.”  

 

And with that, Tomato was out the door. 

 

_ How did all of this happen?  _ Criken fell into a light daze, deeply disturbed by their conversation. Abandoning his friends left a horrible taste in Criken’s mouth. Especially purposefully trussing one of them up like a turkey and locking them in a bedroom just because of a few uncertainties. 

 

But Tomato was right. They couldn’t risk it. That’s how it had to be. 

 

Still, Criken couldn’t wipe away the foreboding feeling of dread, bowing his head in shame as he allowed himself a quick sidelong glance towards the room Bed was barricaded inside of. 

 

He exited the cabin a short moment after, just within a minute of Tomato. He barely able pick up the quiet conversation they held in the driveway, treading lightly down the few porch stairs. 

 

“...found them on the table?” That was Tomato. 

 

“Yeah.” Lawlman answered shortly the same moment that Criken rounded the corner of the cabin, unseen yet by the two. 

 

“Cool. I’ll be taking those.” 

 

Tomato snatched Lawlman’s lower arm with ease, squeezing until he was forced to release the keys with a pained gasp. Lawlman wrestled under his unrelenting hold, letting out a sharp yelp as Tomato snapped his forearm clean in half, the limb protruding at an unnatural angle. Tomato continued to push him down to the ground, forcing him to his knees. 

 

Like Buck, horns sprouted from his forehead and curved upward. His fingers elongated into sharp claws, and fangs glinted from his lips. A jet black snake-like tail with a sharp pointed end appeared behind him, and wings to match unfurled from his back. Unlike Buck, his transformation was gravely silent besides the gruesome crackling noises as his bones shifted under his skin. 

 

Suddenly, the palm of Tomato’s hand began to glow a malevolent shade of red, and he lingered his hand above Lawlman’s chest. A small ball of light emerged from just below his sternum, Tomato coaxing it out until it hovered in the air inches above him. Lawlman slowly went limp in Tomato’s hold, twitching for a moment before giving out completely. 

 

Tomato released Lawlman without care and his inanimate body slumped to the ground in a miserable heap. The red glow dissipated as the demon version of Tomato snatched the precious orb out of the air with a greedy swipe, admiring it in his hands before  _ swallowing  _ the thing whole. 

 

Criken didn’t mean to make the noise. If he were watching himself on a TV right now, featured in the most predictable horror movie of all time, he’d be rolling his eyes and loudly making fun of the characters on screen. 

 

_ Just back away slowly, idiot. No, don’t trip!  _

 

If only things were that easy. 

 

Criken stumbled over his own feet as he tried to back up towards the cabin, freezing in place and looking at Tomato through his glasses with fearful eyes. 

 

Tomato instantly whipped his head towards the sound, eyes locking onto him as a deranged grin split his face. 

 

“Criken!” He exclaimed in delight, a wicked laugh spilling from his lips. His voice sounded distorted seven ways from hell, and Criken let out an ear-splitting shriek as Tomato suddenly charged him full sprint.

 

Criken only got a few footsteps away before Tomato seized him by both of his shoulders, his claws sinking into his flesh and creating pinpricks of blood. Criken thrashed in his grip, his hands flying up to scratch at Tomato’s in vain. A few tears streaked down his face as he reflected on Dave’s similar fate, crying out in Buck’s arms. 

 

“Easy,  _ easy, _ ” Tomato rumbled and Criken settled down, albeit slowly. He still trembled and grasped at Tomato’s unrelenting hands, but he eased up on the kicking when he realized that no, Tomato was not planning on slashing open his stomach and spilling his guts. At least not immediately. 

 

Satisfied that Criken obeyed him, Tomato lowered him a tad so his toes brushed the ground, retracting his claws from his skin only a hint. 

 

“Tomato?” Criken breathed, his name coming out like a squeak. 

 

“Yeah, it’s me!” Tomato said gleefully, his tail occasionally flicking behind him like a cat’s just before it pounces on its prey. “Surprised?” 

 

“Were you— the whole time?” The broken sentence was all Criken could muster up at the moment. His eyes searched Tomato’s face, from his pointed horns to his crimson eyes, trailing over the fangs in his toothy grin. 

 

“Oh yeah, from the moment my good friend Lawlman here read that incantation and unleashed this curse on us.” Tomato nudged Lawlman’s body crudely with his shoe. “Buck knew too, of course, but he’s not really one for playing the long game. No class,” he scoffed.  

 

“Curse?” Criken’s brain spun as he tried to keep up, but he went unheard as Tomato continued to boast his victory. 

 

“Thanks, by the way, for being so trusting of me. You didn’t even consider me an option! Hell, you couldn’t even fathom the thought of there being more than one of us. Too hard to see your friends as monsters, Criken? Lawlman could. Should have listened to him. Granted, he had the wrong guy...”

 

Criken couldn’t even get angry at Tomato’s taunting. He was right, as always. He thought he had been making smart plays right from the beginning, but he failed the most obvious task right off the bat:  _ trust no one.  _

 

“What did you do to him?” Criken’s eyes lowered at the mention of Lawlman, focusing on the still body of his friend.

 

“I took his soul.” 

 

“You  _ what? _ ” 

 

“You ask too many questions,” Tomato made a tsking sound, evidently growing annoyed. Taking Criken off guard, he spread his wings wide and kicked off the ground, beating them down with force and sending them careening high above the trees. 

 

Criken bit back a scream, holding on as tight as he could to Tomato’s wrists and gritting his teeth as hung from his claws like a rag on a hook. 

 

“I’m going to drop you now.” His voice almost conveyed boredom as his grip loosened ever so slightly. Criken’s stomach flipped, staring down at the dizzying drop below him. “And then I’m going to take your soul too.” 

 

“Wait wait  _ wait! _ ” Criken shrieked as Tomato nearly let him slip through his fingers, sighing as if Criken was the biggest hindrance the world had ever seen. 

 

“You’re really gonna drop me? Just like that? What about the theatrics?! This isn’t a very interesting way to end your story! Where’s the cinematography?? The audience!?” He sputtered, stalling as best he could. 

 

Criken clung to Tomato for dear life as he tilted his head, considering his words. 

 

“You’re right. You know, I totally forgot about Bed until now. We’ll go get him and then I’ll drop you  _ both.  _ There, throw in a dramatic double murder, call it a day.” 

 

“No!” Criken squeezed his eyes tight as Tomato pitched them towards the ground with extreme velocity, spreading his wings open like a parachute just before they crashed, landing harshly and knocking the breath out of Criken.

 

Tomato wasted no time, adjusting his grip on Criken and hooking the back of his shirt with one hand. He roughly dragged him back towards the cabin, where Bed would be waiting to say something along the lines of ‘I told you so’. 

 

“Tomato,  _ please,  _ we’re your friends!” Criken dug his heels into the ground uselessly, flinching as Tomato shredded whatever was left of the front door, flinging splintered wood everywhere. “You don’t have to do this!” 

 

“Except I do. Sorry Criken, it’s nothing personal, really. Just doing my job.” 

 

Tomato kicked the chair out of the way, his hand wrapping around the doorknob of the bedroom and throwing it open. 

 

“Bedbanana~” Tomato greeted in a dreadful sing song voice. 

 

However, the room was completely empty. With a quick glance, Tomato’s eyes landed on the curtains, gently flowing from the slight breeze. Tearing them down, he revealed a broken window. The screen had also been kicked through, and all that was left behind was a bunch of shattered glass and half of a bloody handprint. 

 

Tomato snarled in frustration. He whipped around, still yanking Criken with him and barged out of the cabin, bellowing out a hatefully thunderous,

 

“Bedbanana!!!” 

 

And there Bed was, standing valiantly in the middle of the gravel road, his face sheen with perspiration. In one hand he held an old book, struggling to keep his page as the wind picked up and hit them with a particularly strong breeze. Blood dripped from a cut in his arm, oozing down and wetting his hand. Using only the moon’s light, he began to read out in an uncertain voice. 

 

“Regna terrae, cantata Deo, psallite Cernunnos.” 

 

Tomato cringed and hissed, and if he wasn’t mad before, he was now  _ furious _ . Furious enough to release Criken, glaring at Bed vehemently. Criken fell back and scrambled a safe distance from him. Tomato was still focusing all of his entirety on Bed. He started towards him menacingly, and Bed rushed out the rest of his mediocre Latin as fast as he could, 

 

“Regna terrae, cantata Dea psallite Aradia!” 

 

The words halted Tomato in place and he seethed, baring his fangs at Bed. Astounded, a somewhat relieved but stressed laugh flew out of Criken.

 

“Bed, whatever you’re doing, don’t fucking stop!” 

 

Broadening his stance and stretching his neck with a self-assured grin, Bed’s next words came out much more confident. 

 

“ Caeli Deus—” 

 

The rest of Bed’s words were deafened by a horrendous screeching. 

 

Erupting from the forest and barreling towards Bed was Buck in all his demonic glory. Criken could see his friend’s mouth moving as he read the passage, but he could not hear him over Buck’s continuous roar. 

 

Bed looked up from the book, the smile that had previously been occupying his face falling away in an instant. Buck wasn’t stopping. In fact, he was still rapidly approaching at a breakneck speed. 

 

Then he did the only thing he could do in a situation like that. 

 

Bed fucking  _ ran _ . 

 

He almost fell as he tried to find his footing on the slippery gravel, sprinting down the road as fast as his legs could take him. Buck gave chase, and Criken lost sight of them as Bed took a sharp turn straight into the forest.

 

A few seconds later, there was a shocked yell from Bed, a low whine from Buck, and then no other sounds. 

 

\---

 

Criken was left alone with Tomato, who did not look one bit pleased at the attempted ambush, tail thrashing and wings raised. 

 

_ Running. Running would definitely be smart. But where do I run to? _

 

Criken’s eyes drifted towards the car and the keys laying next to Lawlman’s crumpled body. Tomato followed his gaze with narrowed eyes. If he were quick enough...

 

Criken darted for the car, grappling for the keys among the rocks, but not before Tomato pounced on him, wrestling him to the ground and pinning him down on his back. 

 

“Okay, I was just doing my job before, but now I’m fucking  _ pissed _ . News flash: exorcisms don’t feel very good.  _ At all. _ ”

 

“Tomato—“ 

 

“Shut  _ up. _ ” One of Tomato’s clawed hands reached up to wrap around Criken’s throat, slowly crushing his windpipe. “You know what’s gonna happen now?”

 

He leaned down and Criken gasped in a short, pained breath, Tomato’s fangs inches from his ear. “I’m gonna take my damn time with you before I kill you. Just for the hell of it.”  

 

Panic flitted in his chest as Tomato traced one of his claws lightly across Criken’s face, putting pressure just at the end, tearing open the skin of his cheek. 

 

Criken cried out, his hands roaming the gravel trying to find something, anything to fight back. He pawed at the hand on his neck and bunched Tomato’s jacket collar in his fist, trying to pull him off.

 

Mildly bothered by his floundering, Tomato snatched his wrist and pried him off, staring at his hand fervently as he pondered. 

 

“Now, which of your fingers should I bite off first? Or should I rip out your fingernails first and  _ then  _ move onto your fingers?” 

 

Criken thrashed with all his strength, tears creeping to the corners of his eyes as he was overwhelmed by fear and anticipation. It was pointless. How in God’s name was he supposed to overpower a demon?

 

In God’s name...

 

_ The rosary!  _

 

His hand fumbled his pocket, holding the rosary like a lifeline as he thrust it towards his friend, pressing it against his chest. 

 

A gut wrenching sizzle sounded as it made contact and Tomato reared back howling. He fell off of Criken and curled in on himself on the ground, convulsing. 

 

Criken shied away immediately, not waiting around to see what would happen next. He swiped the keys off the ground, nearly dropping them as he unlocked the truck. The lock made a clicking noise and Criken pulled the door open, jumped into the seat, and shoved the key into the ignition.

 

With a stroke of luck, the engine rumbled to life. The display showed a nearly full tank of gas, and no warnings popped up on the dashboard.  

 

_ Time to get the fuck out of here and call the Catholic church’s highest priest.  _

 

He threw the car into reverse, mindful of the bodies as he ripped out of the driveway. He caught sight of Tomato in the headlights, still on the ground but now slowly crawling towards him, snarling as his skin turned red. His entire body emitted the eerie glow Criken had seen when he stole Lawlman’s soul just minutes earlier. His eyes morphed into pitless black holes, staring straight through Criken as he began to pull himself into an upright position. 

 

Criken floored it, taking off down the gravel road as fast as he could without crashing the truck, swerving to avoid potholes and trying to burn the gruesome sight out of his brain, his heart thudding in his chest as the road took a sharp turn, his tires skidding. 

 

He had only gotten maybe a mile or two down the road when he caught a glimpse of red in his rearview mirror. A second later, the roof of the truck nearly caved in as Tomato slammed down into it. A single hand tried to smash through the windshield, his claws breaching and spider-webbing the glass. 

 

Criken slammed on the breaks, pitching Tomato forward and sending him skidding across the gravel. In an instant, Tomato was up and flying towards the car, snarling. He looked nothing like the friend he once was, now a animalistic beast in the husk of his human counterpart. 

 

With clammy hands, Criken cranked the steering wheel like there was no tomorrow, tires screeching, but he had no chance. He never really had a chance. 

 

Tomato’s claws caught the side of the vehicle, slicing through the door panels like butter. The driver side window shattered as Tomato punched through it and glass rained down on Criken. He barely managed to pull the handbrake before he was ripped out from car through the window. 

 

“Tomato…” Criken wheezed as the demon bore down on him, no recognition in his nightmare eyes as he began to literally squeeze the life out of him.

 

Criken felt like he was spinning, the way you do after coming off of a carnival ride. All at once, his surroundings slowed to a still, but he felt dizzy all the same. He could no longer feel the wind on his face, and was only distantly aware of Tomato’s tearing his chest into a bloody pulp. The red hue was taking over, and he blinked the moment he saw the small white blip lift from his body. 

 

His soul. 

 

Criken strained with effort to escape, but there was nothing left he could physically muster. It was like he was watching the world from fifty feet away, with a thick sheet of glass separating him from his body. He could only find it within himself to try just one last time. 

 

“It’s _ me _ , Tamto… It’s— me…” 

 

Tomato reached out towards him, and for a moment with a flutter of his heart Criken thought he was going to hold his hand. Instead, he delicately drew his source of life further away from his chest, leaving Criken hollow, empty, and bleak. 

 

He cupped his soul with both hands like a kid would a small animal, staring down at it with what seemed like wonder, or maybe it was just hunger. 

 

I don’t know, it was kind of hard to tell when you were on your last moments. 

 

But still, Criken couldn’t look away, and it appeared as if Tomato couldn’t either, both locked in a spell for what felt like an eternity. 

 

And then, it was over. 

 

Tomato blinked once, then twice, and his eyes reverted back to their normal color. The red hue of his skin stripped away back to his pale complexion. The horns faded, and so did the fangs, wings and tail. Then he was just standing there, holding Criken’s soul protectively like his life depended on it. 

 

“Criken,” Tomato choked out, “I’m so sorry, Criken, I don’t know— Oh, _ fuck _ , please be okay,” he cried, tears streaming down his face as he desperately guided the soul back to his chest. 

 

Immediately his soul sunk back into his being, and only then was Criken finally able to breathe, closing his eyes and lifted his arms weakly, gesturing for a hug. 

 

Tomato gathered him up in his arms instantly, still sniffling against his bloody jacket. 

 

_ God, we are a mess.  _ Criken thought as a wobbly smile found its way onto his face, finally beginning to feel warm again in his friend’s embrace.

 

_ We’re a mess, but we’re okay.  _

 

“Criken?” Tomato whispered in horror when he didn’t respond immediately, pulling away. “Oh my god, he’s dying. I killed him.” 

 

“No, no, sorry, I’m okay,” Criken groaned, barely opening his eyes to slits to see a guilt ridden Tomato. “Just… still trying to come back from the brink of death.” 

 

“Don’t apologize, it’s not your fucking fault,” Tomato reprimanded him, averting his gaze and evading Criken’s touch. He looked haunted, sitting on the road next to him with a thousand yard stare. 

 

“It’s not your fault either. Now get back here because the afterlife was sub-zero degrees celsius and my jacket is torn and I’m cold,” Criken demanded with grabby hands, growing stronger and more alive with every passing second. 

 

“Jeez, bossy much?” Tomato rolled his eyes, wiping away the last of his tears and trying to keep up with his typical ‘I don’t care’ facade. However, Criken could see far beyond it as he sank like putty back into his arms, both of them grinning like idiots. 

 

“I’m so glad we’re okay.”

 

“Me too.”

 

\---

 

After what went on probably way longer than your average friendly hug, Criken shuffled gently away from Tomato, his cheeks pink. 

 

“I wonder what happened.” He ventured to say as Tomato stood, helping Criken up with him. 

 

Tomato grunted as he slung Criken’s arm around his shoulders, limping to the truck which had miraculously suffered little damage thanks to him pulling the handbrake, perhaps saving it from crashing into a ditch. 

 

“No idea.” Tomato’s mouth twisted in displeasure. “I’ll admit, it wasn’t anything you or I did. I was actually seconds from popping your soul into my mouth like candy.” 

 

“Oh.” Criken’s mouth went dry and he wet his lips, situating himself gingerly on the passenger side and being mindful of his injuries. 

 

“Could you hear me? Were you… present during all that?” 

 

Tomato gently pulled a  U-Turn, driving with the utmost of caution and focusing forward. “At the end there? Barely. It just…  _ took over. _ ”

 

“What about—” 

 

“At the beginning, I was still mostly me. Except for the fact that I was severely lacking some important emotions, such as empathy and guilt. And I got the munchies for human souls.” 

 

Tomato’s knuckles turned white on the steering wheel.

 

“I hope you know it’s not your fault. It could have been any of us,” Criken began to lecture him, “Seriously, Tomato, I don’t want you to feel bad about any of this.”

 

Tomato grimaced, obviously sickened. 

 

“Come  _ on,  _ I want you to promise me—”

 

—and suddenly, Tomato coughed, gagging. A white ball shot from his mouth and zipped out the window, whizzing away down the road before disappearing. 

 

Criken stared at him, quickly slapping a hand to his mouth as a laugh bursting out of him. 

 

“That was absolutely  _ disgusting! _ We never fucking speak of this, you hear me?!” Tomato mock yelled, slapping gently at Criken until he was hiccuping with laughter. 

 

They pulled up to the cabin soon after, happening across quite the scene. 

 

The middle of the road was covered with black spray paint, a large pentagram haphazardly graffitied on the gravel. In the middle of the demonic symbol was a human Buck, shaking miserably in the fetal position. He was wearing nothing but Bed’s oversized hoodie since he had ripped his clothes earlier that night. Luckily, the hoodie dwarfed his shivering frame, covering him down to his thighs. 

 

Bedbanana, the man, the myth, the legend himself, was crouched next to Buck and rubbing comforting circles into his back, murmuring gentle encouragements to him. 

 

“He’s still trying to cough up Dave’s soul. He already burped up Shayne’s.” Bed spoke matter-of-factly when Tomato and Criken approached after hopping out of the truck. 

 

“Oh, yes, we know all about that,” Criken nodded sympathetically, and Tomato whapped him testily.  

 

They all laughed except Buck, who let out a gross belch. A white particle escaped his lips and shot past the cabin and into the forest.

 

“There it goes.” A low voice spoke, catching Criken’s attention to fall on Lawlman, who was propped up against the side of the cabin and cradling his broken arm to his chest. He gave Criken a small salute, and Criken waved back with a large smile. 

 

Criken looked back to Bed in complete astonishment and awe.

 

“Bed,” he said, “how the hell did you do all this?” 

 

Bed smiled sheepishly and shrugged, and Tomato groaned. 

 

“Don’t even ask. He’s always the damn protagonist, of course he’s gonna find some bullshit way to save the day.” 

 

“Right, what was I thinking?” Criken slapped a hand to his forehead sarcastically. 

 

Unexpectedly, the bushes directly to their left began to rustle madly, and everyone including Buck watched them tensely. 

 

Shayne limped out ungracefully, nearly tripping as he came face to face with the ragtag group with wide eyes. 

 

“What the hell just happened and why does it feel like I just woke up from being blackout drunk?” 

 

\---

 

It wasn’t long after that that Dave found his way back as well, stumbling out of the woods and collapsing in his friend’s arms in exhaustion. 

 

By then, the rest of them had already treated their injuries to the bet of their ability, gathered their belongings from the wrecked cabin, and loaded up the truck. 

 

Tomato claimed the driver’s spot, and Lawlman slid into the passenger seat. They settled Dave between them on the bench seat, who curled up with his head resting in Lawlman’s lap and promptly passed out, his arms pressed tightly to the slashes on his torso. 

 

The rest of them gathered in the back of the truck. Shayne grit his teeth as he held his swollen ankle, settling against Criken’s side. Buck clung to Bed like a lifeline, and Bed was all too happy to snuggle, resting his chin on top of Buck’s curly head of hair.

 

Criken stared at the cloudy night sky, shuddering slightly as the wind brushed through his hair. He stayed like that awhile, watching one by one as his friends dozed off, wasted from their night of terror. When Shayne began to nod off, Criken edged himself up, turning around to look through the open back window of the truck. 

 

Tomato’s eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror, gazing at him with fierce meaning. Criken really wasn’t sure what Tomato was trying to convey, Criken raising one eyebrow and lifting one hand palm up in question. 

 

Tomato slumped forward over the wheel, eyes rolling to the heavens as he shook his head. He nearly missed it when Criken blew him a kiss. 

 

Snatching the kiss out of the air, Tomato pressed his hand against his heart and captured Criken’s eyes with the same heated glance as before. The meaning of Tomato’s stare became a lot more clear.

 

Criken’s stomach seized and he smiled nervously, waving weakly before turning back around and slumping in the truck bed. His heart raced as he stared back into the sky, watching the trees pass by. 

 

Two things were for sure. One, they were all going to be okay. And two, Criken wasn’t cold anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
